Buzz
Golden, fluffy, and fragrant donuts are the benchmarks for assessing their deliciousness and success. Typically, people have to use ovens to achieve such perfect donuts. However, in the article below, Mytour reveals the secret to making delicious air fryer donuts that meet the standards of baked ones. These donuts not only save time and effort but are also incredibly easy to make. Follow along to learn this exciting kitchen hack!
1. Advantages of Making Air Fryer Donuts
Donuts are a popular and beloved treat in the United States and many countries worldwide, including Vietnam. These treats come in a variety of colors and decorations, making them visually appealing and adorable. Especially beloved by children, donuts are always a hit straight out of the oven.
Making donuts doesn't have to be complicated, but it requires some special attention to avoid ruining them. Besides the traditional oven-baking method, using an air fryer is also a fantastic and unique way for busy moms to save time while still making delicious treats for their kids.
Photo: Collection
Making donuts with an air fryer will help you avoid worrying about oil. The frying process is quick, low in fat, and each batch takes only about 4-5 minutes. The end product is golden brown on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside, and healthier since you don't need to use any oil for frying.
2. Donut Ingredients
Donuts use simple ingredients, mostly common items found in bakeries or already in your kitchen pantry.
Photo: Sugar Geek Show
- 350 grams all-purpose flour
- 6.5 grams active dry yeast
- 250 grams granulated sugar
- 86 grams powdered sugar
- 120 milliliters unsweetened whole milk
- 2 large eggs
- 60 milliliters melted unsalted butter (butter should be melted and cooled or melted in the microwave)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon corn syrup
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 10 milliliters vegetable oil
- 120 milliliters warm water
This quantity is suitable for serving 4 people. If you plan to make more or less, simply adjust the measurements accordingly!
3. Easy Homemade Donut Recipe
Similar to making regular bread, the cook needs to follow simple steps. Making donuts using an oil-free air fryer simplifies the process even further. Let's see how convenient and quick it can be!
- Step 1: Activate the yeast
Regardless of the type of bread, activating the yeast is crucial for the success of the dish. If not done correctly, the dough won't rise properly, resulting in a flat texture.
- Step 2: Knead and let the dough rest
Mix together 60 milliliters of melted butter, 65 grams of granulated sugar, 1 large egg, a dash of vanilla for fragrance, ½ teaspoon of salt, and 350 grams of all-purpose flour.
Photo: Collection
Photo: Collection
Mix this mixture well and then add the proofed yeast. If you have a dough kneader, simply put everything in the kneader. Otherwise, knead by hand for about 10-12 minutes. When the dough becomes soft, smooth, and non-sticky, it's ready!
Photo: Collection
After kneading, place the dough in a bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest for about 60 minutes or until it doubles in size.
- Step 3: Shape the donuts
Use a bit of flour, sprinkle it on the table, take the dough out of the bowl, and place it on the floured surface. Knead the dough for about 3-5 minutes, then use a rolling pin to roll out the dough thinly. Roll the dough to a thickness of about ½ inch.
Photo: @handletheheat
Use a round cutter to press firmly onto the dough surface, gently twist to cut the dough. Then, use a smaller round cutter placed in the center of the large circle, press the cutter down. Repeat this process until the dough is fully cut.
Trim away the excess dough around the edges and remove the small circular shapes, finally place them on a tray lined with parchment paper.
To avoid wasting excess dough scraps, knead them together and roll them out thinly. Follow the same steps for shaping the donuts as in step 3. Let the dough rest for an additional 30 minutes before baking.
- Step 4: How to bake donuts using an oil-free air fryer
Depending on the type of oil-free air fryer, there will be different heat settings and power levels. You need to understand them to estimate the cooking time for your air fryer donuts.
Photo: Collection
Here's how to make oil-free air fryer donuts:
- Preheat the oil-free air fryer for about 10 minutes at 175°C (for larger capacity fryers, you can reduce the time to 5 minutes).
- If you have parchment paper, you can pre-line the air fryer basket for easy removal once the donuts are cooked. If not, use a light coating of cooking oil to prevent sticking.
- Then, place each freshly made donut into the air fryer basket. Typically, you can only fit 4-5 donuts in one batch. So, if you're making a large quantity of donuts this way, it might take longer than using an oven.
Helpful Tips:
- Do not stack or overlap the donuts.
- The donuts need room to expand, so make sure to leave a small gap between each one.
Finally, you can set the frying temperature for about 5-6 minutes at around 160 – 180°C. Donuts don't need to be flipped while frying. When the oil-free air fryer indicates it's done, leave the donuts in the fryer for 2 minutes before removing them.
Photo: Collection
First, pour 120 milliliters of warm water and 60 milliliters of warm unsweetened whole milk into a bowl. Warm the unsweetened whole milk slightly as well. Then, add about 6.5 grams of dry yeast and 21 grams of granulated sugar to the milk mixture, stir well, and let the yeast rest for 10 minutes.
Step 5: Making the sugar glaze
Photo: Mama Cheaps
Coating donuts with sugar glaze is the most traditional and simplest way you can do. Besides this method, donuts can be decorated with various eye-catching and delicious ingredients like chocolate, matcha, candy... However, for the convenience and speed, especially for first-time donut makers, Mytour will guide you through the traditional sugar glaze method.
Mix 250 grams of powdered sugar + 60 milliliters of whole milk + 1 tablespoon of corn syrup + 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract until the mixture becomes smooth and thick. Finally, dip the donuts into the glaze and place them on a rack or any flat surface.
In addition to making sugar-glazed donuts, you can also refer to how to make chocolate donuts
4. Finished Product Requirements
Photo: @spendwithpennies
With the oil-free air fryer donut method, you'll get donuts that aren't greasy, soft, and fluffy just like those made with a conventional oven. The sweet glaze on top will enhance the flavor of the donuts.
5. Tips for Making Donuts with an Oil-Free Air Fryer
While made from easy-to-find ingredients, not everyone can succeed on their first attempt. Let Mytour give you some small but essential tips for this donut-making process.
Photo: Collection
- The temperature of the milk to activate the yeast should range from 32 – 38°C; avoid overheating the milk as it will kill the yeast.
- If you want to save time and skip activating the yeast, you can use instant yeast for the dough mixture from the beginning.
- For making donuts with an oil-free air fryer, it's advisable to spray or brush a thin layer of cooking oil on the donuts before baking to ensure they turn golden, remain moist, and are extremely delicious.
- Depending on the power of different brands of oil-free air fryers, set the temperature accordingly. Avoid overcooking; otherwise, the donuts will burn on the surface. Or if undercooked, the donuts will be cooked on the outside but raw on the inside.
So, we've completed the method for making oil-free air fryer donuts quickly, saving time, yet still delicious. Make sure to follow the steps and consider the small tips provided by Mytour Blog to have your desired donuts. Wishing you success!
Check out more recipes for making different types of cakes:
- How to make cupcake using an oil-free air fryer
- How to make egg tart using an oil-free air fryer
